5 Healthy Ways To Prevent Osteoporosis

May is National Osteoporosis Month. Osteoporosis is serious, even deadly, and millions of Americans – 54 million to be exact – either have the disease or low bone density. There is no cure, but there are steps you can take to prevent, slow or even stop its progress.

Watch Your Waistline Belly fat is more metabolically active than other fat. It increases hormones that cause inflammation in the body which can weaken bones.

Get Your Calcium Make calcium rich foods like almonds, dark leafy greens, tofu, white beans and broccoli a big part of your diet. As with all vitamins and minerals, it's best to get calcium through food. Studies have shown that calcium supplements can be linked to kidney stones and increased heart attack risk in older people.

Avoid Toxins Just as bones store calcium and phospahte, they can store heavy metals.
Do Meatless Monday. In fact, go meatless more than just one day, animal protein is the leading contributor to osteoporosis.

Recent research has found that olive oil, soy beans, blueberries and foods rich in omega-3's, like fish oil and flaxseed oil may also have bone boosting benefits. While additional research is needed before the link between these foods and bone health can definitively be made, the many overall health benefits of these foods make them excellent choices to add to your diet. Studies have also shown that a moderate intake of certain alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages like wine, beer and tea may also be good for your bones. More research is also needed to better help us to better understand the relationship between these drinks and bone health.